Cervical cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in Croatia, especially among women between 20 and 49 years of age. Sixty five percent of all STIs occur in population under 25 years of age. HPV infection is the most common viral STI. In 2015, 111 cervical cancer related deaths were reported, meaning one woman every third day. These numbers alert for sexual education, HPV vaccination and cervical cancer screening.
The aim of this study is to present ten year pathway in implementing HPV vaccination in Croatian National Immunization Programme as voluntary and free of charge
The HPV vaccine has been registered in Croatia since 2007. The first recommendation for vaccination against HPV was published by Croatian Society for Gynecology and Obstetrics, for Cervical Cancer, Urogenital and STD and Dermatovenerology and Society for School and University Medicine. First HPV vaccinations were introduced in Zagreb, capitol city of Croatia.
In 2008 HPV vaccination highlighting the importance of school based health education on vaccine availability among pupils and their parents. Financed by local self-government, partially or totally, HPV vaccination becomes available in other parts of Croatia.
In 2009 Professional Associations of the Ministry of Health for the Prevention of Cervical Cancer and Other HPV Vulnerabilities was established and adopted guidelines for introducing the vaccine into the national vaccination schedule.
In 2010 Ministry of Health recommends vaccination against HPV to reduce the risk from HPV infection and the development of cervical cancer.
In 2015. in National Immunization Program was interpolated free of charge optional vaccination for 8th grade female students.
In 2016. Ministry of Health declares free of charge optional vaccination for male and female students in the 8th grade of primary school and 1st grade of high school, as well as catch up possibilty.
From 2017. Since HPV vaccination was registered in Croatia as well as on the impleducation of pupils and their parents through parental meetings in schools, information through polyvalent counsultation centers and additional school notifications (posters, info sheets) were provided. Average vaccine coverage varied between 5 and 15%.
All professional and scientific follow-ups show that awareness of personal responsibility and sufficient information are protective factors in young people’s sexual behavior. HPV vaccination proved to be highly efficient in cervical cancer prevention. However, low response to HPV vaccine in Croatia indicates necessity for revising existing public health programs.
Croatian Health Statistics Yearbook 2015, HZJZ, Childhood vaccine refusal and hesitancyintentions in Croatia: insights from a populationbased
study, Anja Repalust, Sandra Šević, Stanko Rihtar & Aleksandar Štulhofer, 2015